Fishing lures have been conventionally produced on the basis of using a length of wire having integral eyes at its opposite ends for attachment of lines, hooks, etc. Also conventionally, the wire will include threaded thereon between the eyes a plurality of beads, etc. In most instances, the forming of an eye at one end is performed in the absence of the beads, etc., but, before the second eye can be formed, the beads must be strung on the wire, thus making formation of the second eye a fairly difficult process. Moreover, many lures are handmade and the eyes are formed by hand-held twisters and therefore lack uniformity, symmetry and adequate twists. According to the present invention, the disadvantages of prior manufacture are eliminated and the "backbone" wire of the lure is provided at opposite ends with closed eyes that are uniform, symmetrical and feature a positive multi-coil wrap that assures a product that has long life, is easy to manufacture and is made available to the market at relatively low cost.
A feature of the invention resides in the preliminary shaping of a straight length of wire, one end at a time, into a modified V shape including a pair of coplanar legs that converge to the apex of the V and which meet the apex, which is rounded to form an open loop, at small radii so that the legs are symmetrical about an axis that bisects the angle between the legs and passes centrally through the open loop. The legs are then held and guided and a rotating twister engages the loop and rotates about an axis generally concident with one leg of the V whereby to wrap the other leg several times about the one leg, thus closing the loop to form an eye securely closed by the multi-wrap of one leg about the other. The mechanism for forming the V produces the rounded loop as well as the radii at the junctions of the legs with the loop. The twisting mechanism includes holding and guide means for the legs so that the loop projects for engagement with a pintle on a rotatable twister shaft. The guide means functions to control the wrap of one leg about the other and the holding means is provided at one face with a cavity that accommodates the successive coils of the wrapped wire as the twisting operation is performed. The opposite face of the holding and guide means has a recess for accommodating a bead on the wire so that formed eye is close to the nearest bead and thus the set of beads is relatively closely confined between the eyes at opposite ends of the wire.
Further features and objects of the invention will appear as a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the ensuing description and accompanying drawings.